Safety smoke ring



Oct. 23, 1 956 F e. HEDRICK 2,767,718

SAFETY SMOKE RING Filed'April 23, 1954 INVENTOR. Fem/z G. HEoe/cz,

United States Patent SAFETY SMOKE RING Frank G. Hedrick, Paducah, Ky. Application April 23, 1954, Serial No. 425,112 1 Claim. (Cl. 131-258) This invention relates to smokers appliances, and more particularly to an improved cigarette holder in the form of a ring adapted to be applied to the finger of a smokers hand for supporting a cigarette, cigar or the like, in a manner to leave the hand free to grasp other objects.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved cigarette or cigar holder which is simple in construction, which may be easily placed on the finger of a smokers hand, and which supports a cigarette or cigar in a position adjacent to a finger of the smokers hand so that the heat from a burning cigarette or cigar will provide a warning to the smoker of the presence of the burning cigarette or cigar and thus prevent fires or damage to adjacent furniture, or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved cigarette or cigar holder which is inexpensive to manufacture, which is durable in construction, which is neat in appearance, and which is arranged to hold a cigarette or cigar in a safe position, leaving the smokers hand free for other activities.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view of a persons hand on which is mounted an improved safety cigarette or cigar holder constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the safety holder employed in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a top view of the safety holder of Figures 1 to 3.

Referring to the drawings, the improved safety cigarette or cigar holder of the present invention is designated generally at 11 and comprises a flexible band 12 of suitable resilient material, such as metal, plastic, or the like, said band being of substantial width and being formed to define a ring having yieldable, opposing, outwardly directed end tabs 13 and 14. As shown in Figure 3, the band 12 is tapered in width toward the end tabs 13 and 14, as by the provisionof the inclined edge portions 15 and 16 at one side of the ring-shaped'band 12, which prevents injury to the finger when the band is placed thereon, by removing sharp corners.

Designated at 17 is an upstanding flat lug integrally formed on the edge of [the band 12 adjacent the inclined of the safety holder "\portion 15, the lug 17 being of substantial width and extending in a plane parallel to the plane of the band 12. Designated at 18 is a generally U-shaped spring clip which is formed integrally with the lug 17 and which is connected thereto at the U bend 19. As is clearly shown in Figure 3, the spring clip 18 faces upwardly and is laterally offset from the band 12 by a substantial distance. The outer arm 20 of the spring clip member 18 rises a substantial distance above the U-bend 19 and is provided with the outwardly curved top end 21. As shown in Figure 2, the outwardly curved top end 21 is tapered in width,

which prevents damage to the cigarette placed in clip 18, by the removal of sharp corners.

As is apparent from Figure 3, the U-shaped spring clip 18 is in a plane normal to the plane of the ringshaped band 12 and is spaced laterally from the plane of the band 12 by a substantial amount, as above stated.

in using the device, the band 12 is engaged on the smokers finger, shown at 22, in Figure l, with the U-shaped clip member 18 directed upwardly and arranged rearwardly of the band 12. A cigarette, cigar, or the like, for example, the cigarette 23 shown in Figure 1 may be engaged in the clip 18, and may be thus supported in a safe position, leaving the smokers hand free for other activities.

The tab 14 may be employed to flip ashes oif the end of the cigarette or cigar by lightly striking said tab with the thumb.

Due to the fact that the U-shaped member 18 is offset laterally from the band 12, and that said U-shaped clip member 18 is directed upwardly, the cigarette 23 is supported in such a manner that as the cigarette gets shorter, the burning tip thereof approaches the smokers finger. Thus, in the case of a smoker who carelessly forgets that he is carrying a lighted cigarette, or falls asleep, the heat from the burning tip provides a warning of the presence of the cigarette, causing the smoker to awaken and to become aware of the presence of the cigarette. Therefore, the use of the device prevents fires from burning cigarettes and prevents damage to furniture and other objects in the vicinity of the smoker.

The device of the present invention also serves to warn the smoker when the cigarette becomes so short that further smoking thereof will be injurious to the health of the smoker, since the smoke from an excessively short cigarette is at a very high temperature, and is consequently injurious to mouth and lung tissue.

While a specific embodiment of an improved holder for a cigarette, cigar or the like, has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A cigarette holder comprising a flexible band formed to define a ring having yieldable opposing outwardly directed end tabs, the band being tapered in width toward said end tabs, an upstanding flat lug integrally formed with one edge of said band adjacent one of the end tabs, and a U-shaped, upwardly facing spring clip formed integrally with said lug, said spring clip being of substantial width, being located adjacent the edge of the ring in a plane normal to the plane of the ring, and being spaced a relatively short distance laterahy of said edge of the ring, the major portion of said spring clip being located above said edge of the ring, the outer arm of said spring clip rising a substantial distance above the inner arm thereof and being curved outwardly at its top end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 670,023 Jump Mar. 19, 1901 1,906,003 Green Apr. 25, 1933 2,084,343 Jetferis June 22, 1937 2,280,543 Saunders Apr. 21, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 25,240 Great Britain 1912 207,250 Great Britain 1923 357,177 Germany Aug. 17, 1922 

